Social control Quote by Gordon G. Chang
““The Maoist mechanisms of social control have been loosened. A totalitarian state has become merely an authoritarian one.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Coming Collapse of China, Gordon G. Chang, 2001
The shift from an all‑powerful totalitarian regime to a less extreme authoritarian system, loosening some social controls.
In simple terms: Control has softened from totalitarian to authoritarian.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and adapt to changing political climates.
Themes
politics
control
authoritarianism
Mood
cautious
analytical
Type
observational
critical
When to use this quote
- human rights monitoring
- policy analysis
- academic research
- media reporting
Key Concepts
state power
social mechanisms
political theory
Questions to Reflect On
- How does this shift affect individual freedoms?
- What signs indicate further erosion or strengthening of control?
A Different Perspective
The term may oversimplify complex governance nuances.
![“Mao Zedong himself would have realized that the Communist Party has become weak. “All reactionaries are paper tigers,” he said. And Mao said something else: repression breeds revolution. “[T]he Chinese,” he told us, “never submit to tyrannical rule but invariably use revolutionary means to…” quote by Gordon G. Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/987/gordon-g-chang-10335_revolution_mao-zedong-himself-would-have-realized-t_682332.jpg)
![“[...] dictatorship, the most extreme form of tyranny, can never lead to social liberation.” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/869/noam-chomsky-42_dictatorship_dictatorship-the-most-extreme-form-of-ty_31180.jpg)
